Police: Warrant leads to ‘depraved and sickening’ child porn case, man’s arrest

CLINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX/Gray News) - A tip and a search warrant led to the arrest of a man in Ohio in what a police chief called one of the most “sickening cases” of child pornography.

John Potter, 66, is charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor, according to Wilmington Police Chief Ron Fithen.

Officers with the police department served a search warrant at Potter’s home after getting info from a national task force that someone there was receiving and distributing child porn, the chief told WXIX.

Once officers arrived at the home, Fithen said the Wilmington Building and Zoning Department was called to assist because living conditions in the home were “one of the worst they have ever seen.”

The chief said there was raw sewage in the basement.

“This is one of the most depraved and sickening cases our agency has investigated,” Fithen said. “Our detectives have additional investigation to conduct on several pieces of digital evidence that were seized as the result of the search warrant, and we expect additional charges to be filed.”

A Clinton County judge released Potter on his own recognizance, the police chief said baffled by the decision.

“And the judge made his own personal decision to go and do his own recognizance bond, which you know, we’re kind of flabbergasted about that,” Fithen said.

Potter is due back in court next week.

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